Calendar

Cinco de Mayo & traffic closures

Come and join the fiesta! Civic Center Park plays host to the “Celebrate Culture” Festival this weekend on Saturday, May 6 and Sunday May 7, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The event features four stages with continuous live entertainment, over 350 exhibitors, special attractions, arts and crafts, and a variety of food choices including some of Denver’s best Mexican cuisine.

Since 1988, the “Celebrate Culture” Festival has take place in Denver. It has grown from a neighborhood street fair to one of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the country, with an annual attendance of over 400,000 people. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated across the country by Latinos and non-Latinos alike. The celebration marks the struggle for freedom and the victory over the French forces by the Mexican army on May 5, 1862 in the town of Puebla.

The “Celebrate Culture” Festival is produced by NEWSED. View the official website for complete details.

Denver Police Enforcement

The goal of the Denver Police Department over the Cinco de Mayo weekend is to maximize safety and minimize the effect of the cruising in the community. This will be accomplished by keeping traffic flowing, establishing lanes for emergency vehicles, keeping main arterial streets open, maintaining highway flow on I-25, and enforcing the noise, trespass, and curfew ordinances.

Police Officers will take action in traffic matters where there is an obvious hazardous or safety violation, such as DUI, or clinging to, standing on, or hanging from a standing or moving vehicle. Officers will also be cognizant of individuals waving flags in a manner that has the risk of striking or impaling pedestrians. In addition, noise violations such as loud stereos will be enforced both inside and outside the designated cruising area. A zero tolerance policy will be in effect for these and any other violations that poses a risk to the public, such as alcohol and weapons violations.

Traffic Information for Federal Boulevard

Northbound and southbound traffic will flow freely along Federal Boulevard within the recognized cruising route. South of 20th Avenue, two lanes of traffic will flow in each direction, and the two center lanes will be dedicated emergency lanes only. Traffic will be allowed to cross Federal Boulevard freely until traffic congestion increases. Once this occurs east/west traffic across Federal Boulevard will be restricted to the following intersections:

W. 50th Avenue

I-70 underpass

W. 46th Avenue

W. 44th Avenue

W. 38th Avenue

Speer Boulevard

W. 23rd Avenue

Colfax Avenue

W. 10th Avenue

US-6 underpass

Alameda Avenue

Mississippi Avenue

Florida Avenue

Jewell Avenue

Evans Avenue

Local residents traveling on Federal Boulevard will be allowed east/west travel from Federal Boulevard once they have contacted an officer on post. Officers may ask the citizen to show some form of identification to verify their address, if practical. However, if an officer is engaged in taking a police action, residents are expected to proceed to the next staffed or open intersection. Officer will not move barricades for cars obviously actively cruising (flying flags, honking horns, etc).

In an effort to manage and maintain the traffic flow, vehicular traffic may be diverted off of Federal Boulevard at various diversion points between W. 20th Avenue and W. Evans Avenue. Motorists should be aware that these traffic diversions may occur frequently if necessary.